This invention relates to a method for reducing the level of cholesterol in the bloodstream of a living being, and more particularly to the effect of administering to a living being dosages of arginine on blood cholesterol levels.
One of the leading causes of death in the United States is circulatory or heart disease. A major contributor to heart disease in many individuals is high cholesterol levels in the bloodstream. Normal or healthy levels of cholesterol in the bloodstream range from about 170 mg/1 to 230 mg/1, whereas levels above 250 mg/1-300 mg/1 (depending on age) are often considered dangerous and require the patient to undergo some type of medical treatment.
High cholesterol levels in a patient's bloodstream are dangerous since cholesterol tends to build up along the inner wall of the patient's arteries. If the build up occurs in an artery which supplies the heart or brain with blood, the patient runs the risk of having a myocardial infarction (heart attack), or cerebral infarction (stroke)
Accordingly, for patients who have a high cholesterol level in the bloodstream, it is desirable to reduce this level as much as possible
One of the more common ways in which to reduce blood cholesterol is by limiting the amount of cholesterol in one's diet. Foods such as beef, pork, whole milk, and polysaturated oils (e.g., palm or coconut) have a high content of cholesterol. Therefore, for patients trying to reduce their dietary intake of cholesterol, these foods should be avoided
For a large number of patients, decreasing dietary intake of cholesterol is often not enough in terms of reducing the patient's blood cholesterol. Through their physicians, these patients may be prescribed medication (typically orally ingested) which help reduce blood cholesterol levels. Commonly used medicines include nicotinic acid, clofibrate and derivatives, and more recently inhibitors of 3-hydroxy- 3-methyl glutaryl-coenzyme A reductase. However, many of these medicines have a number of side effects, such as increased non-cardiac fatalities, liver function abnormalities and muscle pains (myopathy).
In January, 1987, in an article entitled "Blood Serum Lipid Levels of Humans Using Arginine, Lysine and Tryptophan Supplements Without Food", published in Nutrition Reports International, the effect of giving arginine in conjunction with a low fat, low cholesterol diet was reported. The study revealed that the use of an arginine supplement in combination with a low cholesterol diet did, in fact, lower blood serum cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels. However, in this study, the arginine supplement was not found to be as effective as the low fat, low cholesterol diet in terms of reducing blood cholesterol levels. In addition, the arginine supplement was given only at night time, within a few hours following the last dietary intake by the patient. Thus, the contribution of arginine alone to lowering cholesterol levels was not ascertainable since arginine was given to patients in conjunction with a low cholesterol diet.
Since arginine has very little, if any, side effects when orally ingested, it would be desirable to provide a method for reducing cholesterol using arginine or a derivative thereof, but without any restrictions on the patient with respect to dietary intake or the time of day in which the arginine must be taken.